Modeling and optimization of Q-switched double-clad fiber lasers

The numerical modeling of actively Q-switched fiber lasers is systematically presented. On the basis of typical Q-switched ytterbium-doped double-clad fiber lasers under forward and backward pump, the dynamic characteristics of pulse energy, pulse width, population inversion, and stored energy at tens-of-kilohertz repetition rates are studied by using the traveling-wave method. The laser performance is further investigated for different fiber core diameters, doping rates, cavity lengths, fiber losses, signal and pump wavelengths, reflectivities of output coupler, and switching speed of an acousto-optic modulator; the laser optimization is also quantitatively discussed. Some simulation results are also compared with previous experimental results.     

Characterization and optimization of Yb-doped photonic-crystal fiber rod amplifiers using spatially resolved spectral interferometry

Spatially resolved spectral interferometry is used to measure the mode content of a Yb-doped photonic-crystal fiber rod amplifier with a 2300 μm(2) mode area. The technique, known as S(2) imaging, was adapted for the short fiber amplifier at full power and revealed a small amount of a copolarized LP(11) mode. Simulations illustrate the potential for weak mode suppression in this fiber and agree qualitatively with the measurements of S(2) and M(2). Higher-order-mode content depends on the alignment of the input signal at injection and ranged from -18 dB for optimized alignment to -13 dB when the injection alignment was offset along the LP(11) axis by 30% of the 55 μm mode-field diameter.     

光纤光栅应用于梳状滤波器和光分插复用器(OADM)的研究

研究了光纤光栅在梳状滤波器和光分插复用器(OADM)中的应用特性。基于传输矩阵法对Sinc取样光栅反射谱进行分析,分析了取样光栅长度、折射率调制深度和取样周期等光栅参数对Sinc取样光栅反射谱的影响规律。根据各参数对Sinc取样光栅反射谱的影响规律构造了4种反射率高、反射峰间隔均匀及谱宽稳定的Sinc取样光栅梳状滤波器,为梳状滤波器的设计与制作提供了新思路、新技术。用OptiSystem软件对光纤Bragg光栅型光分插复用器进行了仿真研究。研究表明,经过光纤光栅光分插复用器后,下载和除了下载的光谱峰值基本为-4dBm,下载的功率也基本是均衡的。     

Ultrafast dynamics of quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifiers

We report on a series of experiments on the dynamical properties of quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifiers. We show how the amplifier responds to one or several ultrafast (170 fs) pulses in rapid succession and our results demonstrate applicability and ultimate limitations to application of quantum-dot amplifiers in e.g. amplification of signals in a telecommunications system. We also review experiments on pulse propagation control and show the possibility to slow down or speed up 170 fs pulses in a quantum-dot based device.     

Noisy parametric amplifiers in non-equilibrium thermo field dynamics

Single-mode and two-mode parametric amplifiers under the influence of Markovian environments are studied by means of non-equilibrium thermo field dynamics. In the presence of both parametric coupling and system–environment interaction, the dissipative Heisenberg equations of motion are solved for the optical modes of interest. By making use of the solutions, it is examined whether the noisy parametric amplifiers can exhibit the non-classical properties. Furthermore, it is shown that the two-mode parametric amplifier is equivalent to the two single-mode parametric amplifiers with subsequent beam splitting, even if they are influenced by the environments.     

All-fiber optical add-drop multiplexer based on a selective fused coupler and a single fiber bragg grating

We demonstrate a novel fiber add-drop multiplexer based on a selective fused coupler consisting of a twin-core fiber and a standard telecommunication fiber and a single fiber Bragg grating. Loss as low as ~1.1 dB for the added and dropped channel is demonstrated with a potential to be as low as ~0.4 dB. Better than 30-dB isolation is also achieved between the dropped and added channels. The device is based on well-developed fused coupler and Bragg grating technology. Most importantly, the method is noninterferometric, which means it does not need critical alignment or trimming. The fused coupler and grating are completely decoupled and can be made separately.     

Ultrafast carrier dynamics in p-doped inAs/GaAs quantum-dot amplifiers

Using a differential transmission pump-probe experiment in heterodyne detection, the ultrafast gain and refractive-index dynamics of the ground-state transition in InAs/GaAs quantum- dot amplifiers emitting near 1.3 mum at working condition, that is at room temperature and under electrical injection were measured. An ultrafast gain recovery on a subpicosecond time scale is observed at high electrical injection indicating fast carrier relaxation into the dot ground state, which is appealing for high-speed applications with these devices. Comparing p-doped and undoped devices of otherwise identical structure and operating at the same gain, a faster absorption recovery but a slower gain dynamics in p-doped amplifiers was observed. This finding should help in elucidating the role of p-doping in the design of QD-based devices with high-speed performances.     

Analytical formula for the transient response of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers

In wavelength-division-multiplexing systems with optical amplifiers, channel drop or add can cause power changes in the existing channels. We present an analytical formula for the transient power of the existing channels as a function of time when one or more input channel is dropped or added on an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). Although this formula was originally derived from perturbation theory of single-stage EDFA's, it is a good approximation of large-power excursion cases as well as two-stage EDFA's.     

Modeling flow-induced crystallization in fiber spinning

A brief review is given of the microstructural/constitutive model for flow-induced crystallization (FIC), developed by the authors that couples polymer microstructure (molecular orientation and crystallinity) with the macroscopic velocity/stress and temperature fields. Application of the model to melt spinning of nylons and poly(ethylene terphthalate) (PET) under both low- and high-speed spinline conditions is described. The fiber spinning model includes the combined effects of FIC, viscoelasticity, filament cooling, air drag, inertia, surface tension and gravity, and simulates melt spinning from the spinneret down to the take-up roll device (below the freeze point). For both nylons and PET, model fits and predictions are shown to be in very good quantitative agreement with spinline data for the fiber velocity, diameter and temperature fields at both low- and high-speed conditions, and, with flow birefringence data available for high speeds. The model captures the necking phenomenon for nylon and PET quantitatively and the associated extensional softening at high-speed conditions and the occurrence of the freeze point naturally at both low- and high-speed conditions.     

Performance of two-stage discrete fiber Raman amplifiers with and without all-optical gain clamping

Using numerical simulations, we analyze the properties of two-stage discrete fiber Raman amplifiers without and with all-optical gain clamping. In both cases a two-stage amplifier can be designed to have the same gain characteristics as a single-stage amplifier with improved noise performance by use of either the same total length of gain fiber (but with increased pump power) or total pump power (but with increased total length of gain fiber).     

Active phase locking of fiber amplifiers using sine-cosine single-frequency dithering technique

The sine-cosine single-frequency dithering technique for active phase locking of fiber amplifiers is presented for the first time to our knowledge. It has twice the phase control speed as the single-frequency dithering technique. Detailed theoretical development has been presented and the relevant experiment has been done. In the experiment, nine 10 W level fiber amplifiers are tiled into 3×3 array and the total output power is about 100 W. The sine-cosine single-frequency dithering algorithm is run on a signal processor based on a field-programmable gate array for phase control on the fiber amplifiers. When the phase control system is in a closed loop, the fringe contrast of far-field intensity pattern is improved by more than 90% from 21% in an open loop, and the residual phase error is less than λ/20.     

Efficient numerical method for predicting the polarization-dependent Raman gain in fiber Raman amplifiers

Polarization-dependent gain (PDG) of fiber Raman amplifiers (FRAs) will degrade the performance of optical communication systems. An efficient numerical model is presented to predict PDG quantitatively by substituting the polarization-dependent polarization factor for the constant one in the coupled nonlinear equations usually adopted. The simulation is carried out by estimating the polarization length by use of the average polarization-mode dispersion of the tested fiber; the results, including the Raman gain profile and the fluctuation of the PDG, are highly accordant with the experimental data reported previously. The model can aid in the design of FRAs and in the analysis of system performance.     

The gain and noise figure of Yb-Er-codoped fiber amplifiers based on the temperature-dependent model

A novel temperature-dependent model for Yb³⁺-Er³⁺-codoped fiber amplifier (EYDFA) based on the energy transfer from Yb³⁺ to Er³⁺ is established. Using appropriate fiber and energy transfer parameters, the coupled rate equations is numerically solved at 25 and 40 °C. The pumping powers are 100 and 200 mW at a pump wavelength of 1060 nm. The signal gain and noise characteristics of a 0.3 m erbium/ytterbium co-doped fiber (EYDF) in a single-pass configuration are investigated by using 1, 10 and 100 μW signals at 1535 nm. A maximum signal gain of 40.5 dB and a corresponding noise figure of 3.65 dB at the temperature of 25 °C are achieved.     

Output-coupling optimization of Nd-doped fiber lasers

A simple theoretical modeling of the static properties of a fiber laser that includes distributed losses and inhomogeneous pumping is presented. Closed-form expressions for both the output and the backward (at the input mirror) intensities are obtained. The model is based on an extended formulation of the Rigrod's theory. It is shown that the laser responds differently depending on the length of the fiber. In particular, we show that for long (short) lasers optimal output power is achieved with low (high) output-coupler reflectivities. Experimental evidence of these results is obtained with Nd-doped fiber lasers with various lengths.     

Modeling particle shape-dependent dynamics in nanomedicine

One of the major challenges in nanomedicine is to improve nanoparticle cell selectivity and adhesion efficiency through designing functionalized nanoparticles of controlled sizes, shapes, and material compositions. Recent data on cylindrically shaped filomicelles are beginning to show that non-spherical particles remarkably improved the biological properties over spherical counterpart. Despite these exciting advances, non-spherical particles have not been widely used in nanomedicine applications due to the lack of fundamental understanding of shape effect on targeting efficiency. This paper intends to investigate the shape-dependent adhesion kinetics of non-spherical nanoparticles through computational modeling. The ligand-receptor binding kinetics is coupled with Brownian dynamics to study the dynamic delivery process of nanorods under various vascular flow conditions. The influences of nanoparticle shape, ligand density, and shear rate on adhesion probability are studied. Nanorods are observed to contact and adhere to the wall much easier than their spherical counterparts under the same configuration due to their tumbling motion. The binding probability of a nanorod under a shear rate of 8 s(-1) is found to be three times higher than that of a nanosphere with the same volume. The particle binding probability decreases with increased flow shear rate and channel height. The Brownian motion is found to largely enhance nanoparticle binding. Results from this study contribute to the fundamental understanding and knowledge on how particle shape affects the transport and targeting efficiency of nanocarriers, which will provide mechanistic insights on the design of shape-specific nanomedicine for targeted drug delivery applications.     

Modeling of electromagnetic shield dynamics

The object of this work is the development of the algorithm making possible the modeling of electromagnetic shield dynamics. The analysis of the field distribution and the synthesis of the models defining the field have been carried out for the following configurations: a) shield of spherical symmetry and b) flat shield.     

Modeling and optimization of high-frequency ultrasound transducers

Obtaining an accurate transducer model for a high-frequency transducer can be troublesome using traditional models, such as the KLM model, since it is often difficult to measure precisely the piezoelectric, dielectric, and mechanical properties of the transducer. This paper describes an alternative method of modeling transducers using network theory. The network theory model for a transducer is determined from a measurement of the transducer impedance in water and the pulse-echo response of the system for a given electrical source and load. A discussion of how this model can be used to optimize the design of an electrical matching circuit is given. This method is illustrated by designing a two-element transmission line matching circuit for a miniature 53 MHz transducer. Excellent agreement between the network model prediction and the experimental response is obtained     

Modeling fracture of fiber reinforced polymer

In the present paper 3D rate sensitive constitutive model for modeling of laminate composites is presented. The model is formulated within the framework of continuum mechanics based on the principles of irreversible thermodynamics. The matrix (polyester resin) is modeled by employing a 3D rate sensitive microplane model. For modeling of fibers (glass) a uni-axial constitutive law is used. The fibers are assumed to be uniformly smeared-out over the matrix. The formulation is based on the assumption of strain compatibility between matrix and fibers. Total stress tensor is additively decomposed into the contribution of matrix and fibers, respectively. To model de-lamination of fibers, the matrix is represented by periodically distributed initial imperfection over the pre-defined bands, which are parallel to fibers. Physically, this assumption accounts for the matrix-fiber interface in a smeared way. The input parameters of the model are defined by the mechanical properties of matrix and fibers (elastic properties, strength and fracture energy), the volume fraction of fibers and by their spatial orientation. The model is implemented into a 3D finite element code. To assure mesh objective results crack band method is employed. The model is first calibrated using a few basic test results. Subsequently, the model is validated with several numerical examples for specimens loaded in uni-axial tension, uni-axial compression and shear. Comparison between numerical and test results shows that the proposed model is able to predict the resistance and failure mode of complex fiber-reinforced composite for different orientation of fibers and different loading conditions with sufficient accuracy. Finally, based on the qualitative type of the finite element analysis, it is demonstrated that the strain rate dependency becomes more important when the angle between the fiber and load direction increases.